Raffles (1939 film)

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Raffles
RafflesPoster.jpg
Directed by Sam Wood
Written by John Van Druten
Sidney Howard
Based on The Amateur Cracksman
1899 short story collection
by E. W. Hornung
Produced by Samuel Goldwyn
Starring David Niven
Olivia de Havilland
Cinematography Gregg Toland
Edited bySherman Todd
Music by Victor Young
Production
company
Distributed by United Artists
Release date
  • December 29, 1939 (1939-12-29)
Running time
72 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Raffles is a 1939 American crime comedy film starring David Niven and Olivia de Havilland, and is one of several film adaptations of an 1899 short story collection by E. W. Hornung, The Amateur Cracksman .

Contents

Plot

A.J. Raffles, the celebrated cricketer, is welcomed in the parlours and country estates of high society. This circumstance he uses to his advantage in his secret career as "The Amateur Cracksman", a master burglar and safecracker who remains always one step ahead of Scotland Yard. An old school friend, Bunny Manders, reintroduces Raffles to his sister, Gwen, with whom Raffles had been infatuated a decade ago. Raffles falls in love with her all over again, and she with him. When Bunny confides a crushing gambling debt over which he is considering suicide, Raffles assures him the money can be obtained. He plans to accept a weekend invitation to the country house of Lord and Lady Melrose; Lady Melrose's famous jewelry can easily solve Bunny's problem. However, another guest is Inspector MacKenzie incognito, who strongly suspects Raffles of being the Cracksman. Raffles plots to frame a petty criminal with the theft, but keep the jewelry for himself.

Cast

Source material

There are several differences from Hornung's short stories. The plot takes inspiration from the 1898 short story "Gentlemen and Players," in its inclusion of Inspector Mackenzie, a country house setting, and the centrality of a necklace theft. Bunny Manders, described as an only child in the series, has a sister named Gwen, who is Raffles' love interest.

The 1939 movie was based heavily on the 1930 film Raffles starring Ronald Colman, which was reported at the time as part of a larger strategy to remake Colman films starring Niven. [1]

Production history

Screenplay

Sidney Howard was given credit as co-author of the screenplay with John Van Druten, due to his having been the writer of the 1930 version. [2] Howard had died four months prior to the release of this film. F. Scott Fitzgerald may also have worked on the script, as he is mentioned by Niven in his 2nd memoir, but Niven suggests Fitzgerald may actually have been working on his final novel, The Last Tycoon . [3]

Filming

Olivia de Havilland, under contract with Warner Brothers at the time, was "lent" to Goldwyn for the film in April 1939. [4] [5]

As World War II began during filming, and Niven was a British citizen, it was rumored that the project would have to be suspended if Niven were called up for the army. [6] [7] Due to an accelerated schedule, by October 1939, filming had been completed and Niven left for England. [8] [9] It was rumored that there would be a sequel if Niven returned from England, but this film was not made. [10]

Related Research Articles

Raffles may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raffles stories and adaptations</span> Fictional short story character

A. J. Raffles is a British fictional character – a cricketer and gentleman thief – created by E. W. Hornung. Between 1898 and 1909, Hornung wrote a series of 26 short stories, two plays, and a novel about Raffles and his fictional chronicler, Harry "Bunny" Manders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">E. W. Hornung</span> British writer

Ernest William Hornung was an English author and poet known for writing the A. J. Raffles series of stories about a gentleman thief in late 19th-century London. Hornung was educated at Uppingham School; as a result of poor health he left the school in December 1883 to travel to Sydney, where he stayed for two years. He drew on his Australian experiences as a background when he began writing, initially short stories and later novels.

<i>Raffles</i> (1930 film) 1930 film

Raffles is a 1930 American pre-Code comedy-mystery film produced by Samuel Goldwyn. It stars Ronald Colman as the title character, a proper English gentleman who moonlights as a notorious jewel thief, and Kay Francis as his love interest. It is based on the play Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman (1906) by E. W. Hornung and Eugene Wiley Presbrey, which was in turn adapted from the 1899 short story collection of the same name by Hornung.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melville Cooper</span> English actor (1896–1973)

George Melville Cooper was an English actor. His many notable screen roles include the High Sheriff of Nottingham in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice (1940) and the wedding-rehearsal supervisor Mr. Tringle in Father of the Bride (1950).

<i>Raffles</i> (TV series) 1977 British television series

Raffles is a 1977 television series adapted from the A. J. Raffles stories by E. W. Hornung. The stories were adapted by Philip Mackie.

<i>Mr. Justice Raffles</i>

Mr. Justice Raffles is a 1909 novel written by E.W. Hornung. It featured his popular character A. J. Raffles a well-known cricketer and gentleman thief. It was the fourth and last in his four Raffles books which had begun with The Amateur Cracksman in 1899. The novel was published in the UK by Smith, Elder & Co., London, and in the US by Scribner's, New York.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bunny Manders</span> Fictional companion to AJ Raffles

Harry Manders is a fictional character in the popular series of Raffles stories by E. W. Hornung. He is the companion of A. J. Raffles, a cricketer and gentleman thief, who makes a living robbing the rich in late Victorian British High Society.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Gift of the Emperor</span> Short story by E. W. Hornung

"The Gift of the Emperor" is a short story by E. W. Hornung, and features the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, and his companion and biographer, Bunny Manders. The story was first published in October 1898 by Cassell's Magazine. The story was also included as the eight and last story in the collection The Amateur Cracksman, published by Methuen & Co. Ltd in London, and Charles Scribner's Sons in New York, both in 1899.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Trap to Catch a Cracksman</span> Short story by E. W. Hornung

"A Trap to Catch a Cracksman" is a short story by E. W. Hornung, and features the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, and his companion and biographer, Bunny Manders. The story was published in July 1905 by Pall Mall Magazine in London. The story was also included as the seventh story in the collection A Thief in the Night, published by Chatto & Windus in London, and Charles Scribner's Sons in New York, both in 1905.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Criminologists' Club</span> Short story by E.W. Hornung

"The Criminologists' Club" is a short story by E. W. Hornung, and features the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, and his companion and biographer, Bunny Manders. The story was published in March 1905 by Collier's Weekly in New York, and in April 1905 by Pall Mall Magazine in London. It was also included as the fourth story in the collection A Thief in the Night, published by Chatto & Windus in London, and Charles Scribner's Sons in New York, both in 1905.

<i>Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman</i> (1925 film) 1925 film

Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman (1925) is a feature length silent adventure crime drama/romance motion picture starring House Peters, Miss DuPont, Hedda Hopper, Fred Esmelton, and Walter Long.

<i>Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman</i> (1917 film) 1917 film by George Irving

Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman is a 1917 American silent film starring John Barrymore and Evelyn Brent. The movie also co-stars Frank Morgan and Mike Donlin, and was directed by George Irving. The film has been released on DVD.

The Return of A. J. Raffles, first produced and published in 1975, is an Edwardian comedy play in three acts, written by Graham Greene and based somewhat loosely on E. W. Hornung's characters in The Amateur Cracksman. Set in the late summer of the year 1900, the story revolves around the infamous burglar and cricketer, A. J. Raffles—presumed dead in the Boer War—who returns to Albany where, with his friends Bunny and Lord Alfred Douglas, he plots to rob the Marquess of Queensberry, partly for the money and partly for revenge against the Marquess for his treatment of their friend Oscar Wilde. The robbery takes place at the Marquess' house in Hertfordshire, where Raffles and Bunny are interrupted by the Prince of Wales and a Scotland Yard detective, who discover the Prince's personal letters have also been stolen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A. J. Raffles (character)</span> Character in the works of E. W. Hornung

Arthur J. Raffles is a fictional character created in 1898 by E. W. Hornung, brother-in-law of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes. Raffles is, in many ways, an inversion of Holmes – he is a "gentleman thief", living at the Albany, a prestigious address in London, playing cricket as a gentleman for the Gentlemen of England and supporting himself by carrying out ingenious burglaries. He is called the "Amateur Cracksman" and often, at first, differentiates between him and the "professors" – professional criminals from the lower classes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">A Costume Piece</span> Short story by E. W. Hornung

"A Costume Piece" is a short story by E. W. Hornung, and features the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, and his companion and biographer, Bunny Manders. The story was first published in July 1898 by Cassell's Magazine. The story was also included in the collection The Amateur Cracksman, published by Methuen & Co. Ltd in London, and Charles Scribner's Sons in New York, both in 1899.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gentlemen and Players (short story)</span> Short story by E. W. Hornung

"Gentlemen and Players" is a short story by E. W. Hornung, and features the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, and his companion and biographer, Bunny Manders. The story was first published in August 1898 by Cassell's Magazine. The story was also included in the collection The Amateur Cracksman, published by Methuen & Co. Ltd in London, and Charles Scribner's Sons in New York, both in 1899.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Return Match</span> Short story by E. W. Hornung

"The Return Match" is a short story by E. W. Hornung, and features the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, and his companion and biographer, Bunny Manders. The story was first published in October 1898 by Cassell's Magazine. The story was also included as the seventh story in the collection The Amateur Cracksman, published by Methuen & Co. Ltd in London, and Charles Scribner's Sons in New York, both in 1899.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">To Catch a Thief (short story)</span> Short story by E. W. Hornung

"To Catch a Thief" is a short story by E. W. Hornung, and features the gentleman thief A. J. Raffles, and his companion and biographer, Bunny Manders. The story was first published in Scribner's Magazine in May 1901. The story was also included as the fifth story in the collection The Black Mask, published by Grant Richards in London, and Charles Scribner's Sons in New York, both in 1901.

<i>Raffles</i> (radio series)

Raffles is a British radio programme including eighteen episodes that first aired on BBC Radio 4 from 1985 to 1992, and an additional radio play that aired in 1993 on the BBC World Service. The series was directed by Gordon House and was based on the A. J. Raffles stories by author E. W. Hornung.

References

  1. "Niven Becomes Star In Goldwyn Series". The Hollywood Reporter. 48 (11): 3. October 17, 1938 via ProQuest.
  2. "Raffles (1939)". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
  3. "Notes for Raffles (1939)". tcm.com. Retrieved 2007-11-26.[ dead link ]
  4. Filmer, Fay (1939-06-03). "David Niven and Olivia de Havilland in "Raffles"". Picture Show. 41 (1049). London: 3.
  5. "Pictures: Olivia for 'Raffles'". Variety. 134 (6). Los Angeles: 5. April 19, 1939 via ProQuest.
  6. "'Raffles' New Start With David Niven". The Hollywood Reporter. 53 (34): 1. Sep 7, 1939 via ProQuest.
  7. Graham, Sheila (September 8, 1939). "Hollywood Today: David Niven to Carry On With 'Raffles' Film Despite Impending Recall to England and War". The Hartford Courant: 6 via ProQuest.
  8. "Wood Rushing Niven". The Hollywood Reporter. 54 (12): 7. October 10, 1939 via ProQuest.
  9. "'Raffles' Ended, Niven Pulls Out For England". The Hollywood Reporter. 54 (25): 3. October 25, 1939 via ProQuest.
  10. "A "Raffles" Sequel". Boxoffice. 35 (4). New York: 18d. November 4, 1939 via ProQuest.